OK- here's the problem:

I decided to pull out my rubberband routine, dust it off, and and bring it back up to speed. One segment of the routine is a ring off rubberband puzzle. A rubberband is threaded through a finger ring. The spectator holds up first finger of both hands and the rubberband with threaded ring is stretched between the fingers. Through a series of moves the ring is removed from the rubberband. (I believe the original may have had the ring threaded onto a loop of string.) Unfortunately, in my notes I didn't list or explain the moves required, only a reference-'perform ring off band' and I don't remember the moves. The information I'm searching for is in a book, magazine, lecture notes, etc-printed material.

Over the last several evenings I've made a search of this site and of the shelved part of my library, but the solution has eluded me so far. I would be greatful for any references to the effect described above, especially if I'm going to have to search through boxes of books, magazines, etc. in storage to find this.


Thanks in advance!!!


DonB

If you put the rubber band in your right hand thumb and index finger, have the volunteer hold the ring horizontal, and you hold the rubber band vertical you can then do the CMH move to magically seperate them, with out touching the ring. This move I learned form the Dan Harlan's magic with rubber band DVD set.
HAVE FUN
Al Angello

Hi Al,
Thanks for the info. I once saw something similar with a playing card. It may have been on an old Harlan tape.

What I'm looking for is more of a puzzle removal of a ring from a rubberband. Showing spectators some slow, complicated moves to remove the ring from the rubberband is a nice contrast to the instantaneous unlinking of CMH-makes it seem even more impossible that it already appears.

DonB

This sounds cool DonB.
Please let us know when you find it.

I've seen something similar, if not the same, in a book by Shari Lewis (of Lambchop fame)-- Magic for Non-Magicians, or something similar. Turns out her father was a magician, and the book is full of simple effects. A series of threading moves removes a ring or bracelet from a loop of string stretched horizontally between the spectators two index fingers. My copy is an old paperback, so I don't know if it's still in print.

-Phil in KC

Hi Phil,

I can't believe it took me this long to locate what I was looking for. Your comments about the Lewis book with simple magic headed me back in the right direction. The trick is in Magic for Dummies. It starts on page 85 and is called 'Give Me a Ring Sometime -- and a String. The effect: a ring is threaded onto a loop of string held up by a volunteer's fingers. You make a few twists and pull the ring off the string. The trick was suggested by Eugene Burger.

Here's why I like it. If you work with rubberband magic, this effect takes the magic following it to a higher level in the spectator's mind. Why? In the process of presenting the puzzle and its solution, it appears to be quite complicated and time consuming. It requires both your hands and more than one simple move. After going through all of the hassle of removing the ring from the rubberband. You then go into cmh. The contrast of speed and smoothness between the ring off rubberband and cmh makes the magic even more amazing than it already is. You've done the move to unlink the bands and your spectators haven't even started to think about unlinking the bands. When you finally do unlink the bands ...BAM! You've hit them right between the eyes.

Check it out and have fun!!!

Don B

I regularly do this ring off a loop of string(held between spectator's 2 thumbs).

I do not do this as puzzle, I think it is too good to present that way, it is quite mystifying. I tell a story to motivate the moves, about how we can feel trapped sometimes, stuck(as I move the ring along the loop). Then when things seemed bad, something else happens(do first move), and then things can get even worse(do second move which looks like a mess of string). Then I wrap my fist around the ring, have the spectator spread his hands appart to keep the string taught, run my fist(and ring) up and down the length of string as I quote 2Chron 16:9, and gradually release the first strand of the loop, and then the second, and with hand fully removed from the string, I slowly turn my fist over, and open it to reveal the ring in my hand.

I've also done this "parlor" size with a 5" ring, a loop of rope held by candles/candle sticks and two spectators.

The only place that I've seen this, as mentioned, is in MFD. I suppose it could be done with a rubber band, but you might need a rather large one to enable you to do the "moves", and I'm not sure it would seem as magical, since you would have a harder time running the ring back and forth while taking it off.

John

Yes, it is on his 3 video set on bands......



IMO, the 2nd greatest vent of all time, just behind Paul Winchell.....

It might be worthwhile to have a look at Ring Band It in the Magic of Michael Ammar.The effect is that you make a borrowed ring penetrate a rubberband(can also be borrowed) and then take it off again.Visual,stunning and impromptu.
AJ

Andre
Although Michael Ammar is an inovator in rubber band magic there are others who have advanced the art beyond him. Michael's work is a great place to start, but his stuff isn't the state of the art in rubber band magic. Harlan, Marini, Niedzwieki, Rindfleisch, and Mendoza are men who are doing more advanced tricks these days.
HAVE FUN
Al Angello

My father used to do this trick. I was just thinking about it and about how I feel bad about not learning it before he passed away. Is it really in the magic for dummies book?

Yes!; and 'Magic for non Magicians' by Lewis, and a number of other books